That would be a challenging assignment for a 5-foot-11, 218-pound junior who played defensive back in his first two seasons for the Rams but was switched following Kapri Bibbs’ decision to declare himself eligible for the NFL draft.

“Competition creates quality repetition during practice,” CSU coach Jim McElwain said after Thursday’s practice. “He’s a guy that in his first four days has really shown some good things.”

McElwain said the group has looked “very strong. Right now, we have five guys, where I wasn’t quite sure in the spring, who can give us an opportunity to be successful.”

Oden ended up at CSU after graduating from high school in Buffalo, N.Y., and spending a transitional year at North Carolina Tech, a prep school. In his first two seasons with the Rams, he played in 25 of the 26 games and had one start at strong safety. He had a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown against Hawaii as a freshman, and his speed and flashiness was intriguing enough for the CSU staff to put him on the other side of the ball in the time of need.

And now?

“I’m up for a good competition,” Oden said. “We’re just competing every day. The rotation has switched every day, and everybody is getting a fair shot to be the No. 1 back. We all stick together and continue to push each other. You wouldn’t notice it’s a competition the way we support each other and the way we give it our all.”

Oden said he wasn’t bothered by Hart’s arrival.

“I did play safety last year and never got a down (on offense),” Oden said. “So I understand bringing in competition. At the end of the day I’m trying to get better for the team and for myself. … They’re going to push me, and I know that the moment I slip, there’s somebody behind me that could take my spot.”

There are no signs — at least not yet — that the arrival of the re-enforcements will lead to Oden going back to defense.

A graduate of Wheat Ridge High School and the University of Colorado, Terry Frei has been named a state's sportswriter of the year seven times -- four times in Colorado and three times in Oregon. He's the author of seven books, including the novel "Olympic Affair" about Colorado's Glenn Morris, the 1936 Olympic decathlon champion; and "Third Down and a War to Go," about the 1942 football national champion Wisconsin Badgers and the players' subsequent World War II heroism.

WASHINGTON — Thirty games into the 82-game NHL season, and nearly six weeks after the Matt Duchene trade, Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic discussed the state of his team before Tuesday’s 5-2 loss at the Washington Capitals.